Hiking Castle Rock

In between General Conference sessions on Saturday, I took the kids to hike Castle Rock. Bryan was working,  and I decided to brave it solo. The kids did great. Luke charged up the trail and would stop to point out "dinosaur fossils" to me. Emma kept up with Luke the best she could. She only experienced one or two moments where she really missed her dad's shoulders that carry her when she feels tired.  Myles was content to ride in the Bjorn. It was an outing that I really enjoyed with the kids. There were sprinkles of rain as we made our way down the trail and then a downpour once me made it back to the car. I'm so glad we made it down before that happened!!

Made it to the top!

Feeding the Duck

Yep, DUCK. There was just one, lonely duck that apparently was too good for our cheap bread. It was still a nice evening out and each of us enjoyed the fresh air with a hint of Fall in it.
Prior to leaving to feed the duck(s), I was trying to explain to the kids that we were going to a park with ducks and that there wouldn't be play equipment for kids, but other fun places we could explore. I knew that I did a poor job of explaining it to Luke, because as we walked into the park area he tells me, "I can't wait to see the slides and swings that this park has for the ducks!" Oh, it made me chuckle. I would like to see that as well!

Aurora Reservior

A group of friends headed to a close "beach" to celebrate the arrival of Autumn with 80 degree temps still hanging around! It was a beautiful day and it felt perfect once we had a little breeze. Luke and Emma had a great time playing with their friends in the sand and water. Myles mostly slept or ate, so I think it is safe to say he approved of the outing, too. 

Jess K.---Emma loves this swimsuit and we have definitely got a lot of use and memories out of it. Thank you!

When Myles finished napping, Emma hopped in the cozy tent to try it out. It would appear it wasn't as cozy as she was hoping for.

Hit up the park on our way back to the car. Myles continues to love the swings. 

 

Guys and Dolls

It is pretty fun to have dancing ballerinas & tip-toeing princesses in one room and sword fighting (the bad guys) superheroes & car racing boys in another room.  I love watching this age and their imaginations.

It's Autumn Time!

Bryan had an unexpected free afternoon on Monday. I dropped the cleaning, organizing, washing dishes, etc. We took advantage by meeting up with him and heading for a quick drive through Guanella Pass to see the Fall colors. I thought we might be a little early, but the trees said otherwise. It was gorgeous. Colorado, I have missed you and am so glad to be back! Loved this spontaneous afternoon away with our family.

The kids' preferred way of viewing the Fall colors.

Myles joining in on the fun.

We stopped at the top of the pass for a quick hike/stroll. Bryan wanted me to point out Mt. Bierstadt--the "14er" I hiked--to the kids. As you can see, they were thoroughly impressed.

Oh, this boy. He is such a happy one. 

So content to watch his siblings play in the creek.

I could not have picked a better way to spend the afternoon. 

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

Bryan and I went to a Rockies' game over the weekend. It was the perfect night for a ball game. Our friends, the Coppins, were able to join us. We both brought our babies and split a babysitter for the other kids. It worked out really well!

Bryan and Cam sharing the duties of the double bob.

 First baseball game for Myles and Oakley. These cuties are only 6 weeks apart.

Cinco!

Luke turned 5 this last week! Luke is a boy that loves life. He is quick to make a friend. I can never schedule enough play dates for him. He loves to go hiking with his dad, especially when it involves looking for golf balls. He has a tender heart that feels emotions deeply. He will never pass up a tickle fight. He is a good older brother to Emma and Myles.  He's been looking forward to turning five and having his Batman party for a L-O-N-G time! I think he felt very loved and special on his birthday. In his words, "I had a blast at my party!"

Cutest Bat-baby I've ever seen.

We started the party off with a batman training course. This involved balancing, jumping, sliding, summersaulting, crawling and running to make sure they were ready to catch a villain.

Next up was target practice. The kids LOVED this.

After we read our "instructions" (a book) we tracked down batman and a baby that Mr. Freeze froze in ice. They used their squirters (or fists :) ) to break them free.

Lastly, they needed to catch the evil villain, Mr. Freeze, and vaporize him with their silly string.

Well, Mr. Freeze startled the unsuspecting Batmans and there was quite the battle.

Emma was "slightly" disturbed by the masked man. It took some convincing that it was really her dad behind the mask. The Batmans emerged victorious. Cake and Ice Cream was their reward.

We played Freeze Tag as parents were coming to pick up their kids. 

I think everyone had a great time! Happy Birthday Luke!